Abstract

In recent years, Black Police Associations (BPAs) have become key forces of change within the police service, involved in minority ethnic recruitment and retention initiatives, working closely with senior management, and also serving as mechanisms of support minority ethnic constabulary members and recruits. Most police services in England and Wales now have an officially recognised BPA, making it essential to consider the effect these groups have on the police occupational culture. Using data from our recent research project on BPAs, we explore issues such as the decreasing importance of rank and grading in the police culture; whether a parallel, ‘black’ occupational culture is emerging alongside the traditional ‘white’ one; the indirect influence BPAs have had as part of a wider process of change and the interplay between changing individuals and changing the institution as a whole.